Giants Jacquian Williams forces 49er Kyle Williams to fumble setting up the winning field goal in the San Francisco 49ers vs. the New York Giants in the Championship Playoff game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, January 22nd, 2012.

Photo: John Storey, Special To The Chronicle

Giants Jacquian Williams forces 49er Kyle Williams to fumble...

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FILE - In this Jan. 6, 1985, file photo, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Freddie Solomon (88) prepares for a handoff after lining up at quarterback during the NFL football NFC championship game against the Chicago Bears in San Francisco. Solomon, the former Miami Dolphins and 49ers wide receiver who became known as "Fabulous Freddie" and committed himself to community service, has died. He was 59. Solomon lived in Florida and had battled cancer over the past year. The 49ers announced his death on Monday, Feb. 13, 2012. (AP Photo/Risberg, File)

49ERS FREEMAN/C/11JAN98/SP/FL ---Antonio Freeman rushes for extra yards after catching a reception in the second quarter. Photo by Fred Larson

Photo: Fred Larson, STAFF

49ERS FREEMAN/C/11JAN98/SP/FL ---Antonio Freeman rushes for extra...

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 09: Colin Kaepernick #10 of the Nevada Wolf Pack looks to pass the ball against Boston College during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park on January 9, 2011 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Jan. 3, 1971 Kezar Stadium

The 49ers of head coach Dick Nolan, quarterback John Brodie and wide receiver Gene Washington led the NFL in scoring at more than 25 points per game. But Dallas' sturdy defense limited the 49ers to a first-quarter field goal and a third-quarter Brodie touchdown pass. The Cowboys followed running back Duane Thomas (143 yards rushing) to their Super Bowl appearance. Former Cal quarterback Craig Morton completed only 7 of 22 passes for Dallas, but his 5-yard touchdown pass to Walt Garrison, stretching his team's lead to 17-3, proved decisive.

Jan. 2, 1972 Texas Stadium

Cowboys 14, 49ers 3

Another defensive struggle in which head coach Tom Landry's 'Boys prevailed. John Brodie threw three interceptions and his Dallas counterpart, Roger Staubach - completing his first season as the full-time starter - was unspectacular (9-for-18) but avoided costly mistakes. The 49ers managed only Bruce Gossett's 28-yard field goal in the third quarter. The Cowboys scored on short runs by Calvin Hill and Duane Thomas. A theme formed in the 49ers' playoff lore: They were good, but they couldn't quite get past the Cowboys.

Jan. 10, 1982 Candlestick Park

49ers 28, Cowboys 27

Finally, they conquered the Cowboys. It only took one of the most famous plays in NFL history, Joe Montana's 6-yard touchdown pass to Dwight Clark - eternally known as The Catch - to send the 49ers to the Super Bowl for the first time. Equally significant were the contributions of Eric Wright (game-saving tackle), Lawrence Pillers (forced fumble) and Jim Stuckey (fumble recovery) on Dallas' last-chance drive. They preserved the win, launching a dynastic run of five Super Bowl titles in 14 seasons.

Jan. 8, 1984 RFK Stadium

Redskins 24, 49ers 21

This nearly became one of Joe Montana's signature wins. The Redskins went 14-2 in the regular season, whacked the Rams 51-7 in the divisional round and seized a 21-0 lead in the title game. Here came Montana and the 49ers, scoring three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 21-21. The Redskins then put together a 78-yard drive - aided by debatable penalties on 49ers defensive backs Eric Wright and Ronnie Lott - culminating in Mark Moseley's decisive, 25-yard field goal with 40 seconds left.

Jan. 6, 1985 Candlestick Park

49ers 23, Bears 0

So which team had the smothering defense? The Bears, one year away from their dominant march to the Super Bowl, surrendered meekly as the 49ers took another step toward winning the title without leaving the Bay Area. Chicago had only 186 yards in total offense - nearly half by Walter Payton (92 yards rushing) - as San Francisco's defense pitched a shutout, sacking quarterback Steve Fuller nine times. Two weeks later, the 49ers raced past Miami 38-16 at Stanford Stadium to win their second Super Bowl.

Jan. 8, 1989 Soldier Field

49ers 28, Bears 3

The game-time temperature was 20 degrees, with a wind chill around zero. Too cold for the pretty boys from Northern California? Hardly. Joe Montana and Jerry Rice quickly smashed the theory by connecting on two touchdown passes, one covering 61 yards and the other 27. Much like their championship-game matchup four years earlier, the Bears couldn't get going on offense - they managed even fewer total yards (176) against San Francisco's sturdy defense. The 49ers advanced to another Super Bowl, in which Montana, Rice and John Taylor beat the Bengals 20-16 to give head coach Bill Walsh his third (and final) ring.

Jan. 14, 1990 Candlestick Park

49ers 30, Rams 3

George Seifert's first conference-championship game unfolded a lot like Bill Walsh's last two - an emphatic win in which the opponent couldn't find the end zone. The Rams scored first, on Mike Lansford's field goal, and then watched Joe Montana carve them up with impressive precision, even by his lofty standards. Montana completed 26 of 30 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. The 49ers intercepted Rams quarterback Jim Everett three times: one each by Ronnie Lott, Tim McKyer and Keena Turner. Los Angeles had only 156 yards of total offense.

Jan. 20, 1991 Candlestick Park

The 49ers strutted into this game on the brink of NFL history, two wins from an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title. Then came an epic tussle, a ferocious hit on Joe Montana and a rare, costly fumble by Roger Craig. The Giants and 49ers had the two best scoring defenses in the league, and it showed in a game with only one touchdown. Montana sustained a broken right hand after New York's Leonard Marshall crushed him, but the game truly turned when Craig fumbled as the 49ers tried to protect a 13-12 lead. Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor recovered, leading to Matt Bahr's triumphant 42-yard field goal with no time left.

Jan. 17, 1993 Candlestick Park

Cowboys 30, 49ers 20

Here started another lingering mini-drama, in which the 49ers repeatedly reached the NFC title game only to run into those damn Cowboys. This time, it was the Cowboys of Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. That trio proved too much to overcome, as Aikman threw for 322 yards, Smith ran for 114 and Irvin caught six passes for 86. Dallas' other wide receiver, Alvin Harper, also did plenty of damage, catching three passes for 117 yards, including a 70-yard completion to set up the clinching touchdown.

Jan. 23, 1994 Texas Stadium

Cowboys 38, 49ers 21

The 49ers staggered into the playoffs after losing three of their last four regular-season games. They seemed to right the ship with a 44-3 pasting of the Giants in the divisional round, but Dallas again proved too much. Troy Aikman threw two second-quarter touchdown passes as the Cowboys zoomed to a 28-7 halftime lead. The 49ers briefly threatened in the second half, but Bernie Kosar's TD pass and a 50-yard Eddie Murray field goal stuffed San Francisco in a 38-14 hole. The Cowboys were headed to their second consecutive Super Bowl title.

Jan. 15, 1995 Candlestick Park

49ers 38, Cowboys 28

Finally, they conquered the Cowboys (sound familiar?). The 49ers, after falling to Dallas in each of the two previous conference title games, jumped to an early 21-0 lead and then held off persistent Cowboys threats. San Francisco's defense surrendered gobs of yardage (451 in all) but forced five Dallas turnovers, including three Troy Aikman interceptions. Steve Young threw two touchdown passes, ran for another score and created an enduring image when he took several exuberant victory laps after the game.

Jan. 11, 1998 Candlestick Park

Packers 23, 49ers 10

Steve Mariucci's first season as the 49ers' head coach - mostly successful, after a 13-3 regular season and 38-22 divisional playoff win over Minnesota - ended with a whimper. The 49ers managed only 33 yards rushing and scored no offensive touchdowns in falling to Brett Favre and the Packers. Green Bay built a 13-3 halftime lead and stretched it to 23-3 before the 49ers finally reached the end zone on Chuck Levy's late, meaningless 95-yard kickoff return. In the Super Bowl, the Packers lost to John Elway and the Broncos.

Jan. 22, 2012 Candlestick Park

Giants 20, 49ers 17 (OT)

Roger Craig, meet Kyle Williams. The 49ers, trying to return to the Super Bowl for the first time in 17 years, led 14-10 early in the fourth quarter. That's when Williams nearly picked up a New York punt, backed away and let the ball glance off his knee. It was recovered by New York. The Giants soon scored, on a touchdown catch by Mario Manningham, to move ahead 17-14. David Akers' subsequent field goal sent the game into overtime, but Williams fumbled on a punt return and the Giants recovered. Lawrence Tynes then kicked a 31-yard field goal to secure Williams' dubious place in 49ers' playoff lore.